t.
They'll soon away be wearing,
But love beyond comparing
Is thine, my Lady sweet.

"In early morning waking,
I toil with ready smile,
And though my heart be breaking,
I'll sing to hide its aching,
And dig my grave the while."

The boat touched the shore, and all the party got out; many of the
young gentlemen, as I had perceived, had made game of me in whispers
to the ladies while I was singing. The gentleman with the eye-glass
took my hand as he left the boat, and said something to me, I do not
remember what, and the elder of my two ladies gave me a kindly glance.
The Lady fair had never raised her eyes all the time I was singing,
and she went away without a word. As for me, before my song was ended
the tears stood in my eyes; my heart seemed like to burst with shame
and misery. I understood now for the first time how beautiful she
was, and how poor and despised and forsaken I, and when they had all
disappeared behind the bushes I could contain myself no longer, but
threw myself down on the grass and wept bitterly.

CHAPTER II

The highroad was close on one side of the castle garden, and separated
from it only by a high wall. A very pretty little toll-house with a
red-tiled roof stood near, with a gay little flower-garden inclosed by
a picket-fence behind it. A breach in the wall connected this garden
with the most secluded and shady part of the castle garden itself. The
toll-gate keeper who occupied the cottage died suddenly, and early one
morning, when I was still sound asleep, the Secretary from the castle
waked me in a great hurry and bade me come immediately to the
Bailiff. I dressed myself as quickly as I could and followed the brisk
Secretary, who, as we went, plucked a flower here and there and stuck
it into his button-hole, made scientific lunges in the air with his
cane, and talked steadily to me all the while, although my eyes and
ears were so filled with sleep that I could not understand anything
he said. When we reached the office, where as yet it was hardly light,
the Bailiff, behind a huge inkstand and piles of books and papers,
looked at me from out of his huge wig like an owl from out its nest,
and began: "What's your name? Where do you come from? Can you read,
write, and cipher?" And when I assented, he went on, "Well, her
Grace, in consideration of your good manners and extraordinary merit,
appoints you to the vacant post of Receiver of Toll." I hurriedly
passe